Our friendship lasted one year. We did everything, Judy and I, and we did it together. We shared every secret and every concern. We consumed Earth together that year, moved by nature and swept away with the clouds. We spent a blissed summer, laughing, going to concerts and taunting young men at the beach. We danced our way through the fall, and flirted through Thanksgiving. We marveled at the world view brought to us through the screen of marijuana. We took deep, swaggering gulps of life with no hesitation and with no remorse. We seduced life and possessed our men. We were young. We were auburn and blond. We were beautiful. We held the attention of the world in every toss of our hair and flick of our skirts. They all loved us and hated us at once. They wanted us; they despised our presence. We controlled. Nothing was wrong. Everything was right. We had each other. We agreed.

We worked in the same building, Judy and I, though in different offices. I was fulfilled and happy in the research office; my work afforded me the opportunity to collaborate with a brilliant faculty of this inspired, young university. I was happy. She, in accounting, was not. The campus was growing more slowly than originally thought and incipiently planned; opportunities for transfer were stilted. When a job at the administrative level opened, Judy was one applicant among many. But then, we knew she was vital. Alive! Wanted. We knew she would realize success. She continued with the application process, unconcerned.

We were not prepared for Linda. A liar. She was determined to win. She cheated. Her words struck like hot air in a frost, leaving a sting of vapor behind as she left a room. Linda was to be feared; her ways were vicious. She was never to be believed. Always to be doubted. Maybe to be hated. Deserving of nothing. ...Judy told me so. See, I’d never met Linda, but then, I certainly didn’t need to. Judy told me, so I knew it as truth. It was enough to help my friend. Quietly, behind the scenes, I plotted with Judy the strategy that would dump Linda in the reject soup, and give Judy her just reward. The job!

All applications were in, and we waited. We filled our days with beady-eyed focus, Judy and I. We planned a response for each deliberate attempt of the enemy to manipulate the circumstances. Ingenious strategies. Lucid counter-plots. Their Christmas party was planned for a Thursday evening, and Judy asked me to go. Given our friendship, we forgave ourselves the departure from university custom, and I promptly accepted the invitation to another office’s party. "Besides", I was told in a whisper, "Linda will be there. You can finally see her... you can see what I mean..." Yes! It was about time!

The dinner was formal, though at one of our favorite spots. A cozy and warm little restaurant with great food and an even better guitarist who I’d dated on occasion. I loved this place. I owned this place! I’d never been in the VIP room, however. Judy and I arrived early and ordered our cocktails. We chose seats that afforded us a full view of the restaurant entrance; I did not want to miss this! Half-way through our margaritas, Judy’s elbow jabbed my arm. The awaited line: "There she is! "

Sure enough. I didn’t need any further explanation. The dark-haired beauty walked into the room, making a note to not even glance our way. Skin-red dress with an awful fur coat. Linda! Suddenly, I did catch her eye. Judy was right! This snot! She gave me a very nasty look and a smirk before turning away! Me!! She didn’t even know me! How dare her. I leaned toward Judy, not taking my gaze off this wanton tramp.

"Wow, Jude, I see what you mean! What a witch!"

Judy looked into my face, and followed my eyes toward the crowd that had entered the room.

"What are you looking at?" My friend’s brow was furled.

"...there! Right there... She is..." I began to explain.

"That’s not Linda." Judy dismissed me with a "tsk" in her voice. "Linda is in the other room".

In that instant, I was returned to reality. I’d awakened from a dream. I was excited about the revelation! With great enthusiasm and laughter, over the remainder of my margarita, I shared with Judy the illusion that we’d both been living. How freeing it was to see the goodness and purity in all my sisters again! Sadly, my friend made a choice to stay with the dream; Judy chose not to break from the illusion. In that instant, our friendship shifted. Sadly, I told her good-bye.

Each once in awhile, a lesson will come through with such poignancy that it forever causes a life to shift. I think of what I might have become had Judy not been in my life that year. I think of the tainted vision of the world I might have had, and I thank God. Also, from the bottom of my heart, I thank Judy.